


coffee shops & smiles

by mysterytwin



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Modern AU, Sukka, coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 18:37:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7856614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysterytwin/pseuds/mysterytwin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Sokka realizes that maybe love isn't such a bad thing. (Modern & Slight Coffee Shop AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	coffee shops & smiles

It’s autumn when he meets her. Well, it’s when he actually _talks_ to her, not to mention all the weeks of staring at her from across the room and looking away when she almost catches him.

 

She does that day. And for a second, in that small coffee shop on the southern side of town, with all its blue and white walls, Sokka makes the mistake of staring a second too long, and he doesn’t turn away in time. He knows his cheeks are turning pinker with each burning second that passes — keep it together, man! — and his heart decides to stop and his breath cuts short when she—

 

she smiles.

 

And it might just be him, but he thinks she’s blushing a little too — don’t just stare at her, do _something_! — and that makes his heart flip. With shaking fingers, he raises his hand and waves at her. She waves back and he feels like he’s achieved something greater than himself. Sokka turns away, staring at his math notebook with heated cheeks and a pounding heart.

 

(He might not be good at drawing, and Katara could complain about that all day, but that doesn’t mean he can’t draw the auburn-haired girl with amazing, blue eyes all over his notebook instead of doing his homework.)

 

A little later, when he’s finished his eleventh attempt at capturing her smile in a drawing (it’s absolutely impossible, it’s too hard to recreate), he looks up—

 

only to find that it’s her who’s staring at him this time.

 

And she even stands up to walk over him! (Sokka, you were supposed to be the one to approach her! Now she’s gonna think you’re some sort of coward! What would Aang say if he found out? Toph? Zuko? Katara? They’d laugh at him! Wait, no, they’ll never know. They can’t.)

 

“Hi,” she says, cheeks a little pink. She smiles again — and _goddammit_ , it’s like his heart is racing and it’s making him dizzy; it makes him fall for her, whoever this girl is, she’s stolen his heart, alright, and there’s no turning back. She gestures to the seat in front of him. “Is this seat taken yet?”

 

He knows she always comes to this coffee shop at around five in the afternoon, and there’s never anyone with her, just the same notebook and a white fan she keeps on the table at all times. Not that it’s too hot or anything. But boy, it sure is going to be, if she’s gonna keep staring at him with those eyes of hers and that adorable nose and her cheekbones and the curve of her lips and are those freckles, too? Wow, they look like stars—

 

“Hello?” she interrupts, eyebrows furrowing (adorably).

 

“Y-yeah!” he answers. “Wait. I mean no! It’s not taken, I’m not here with anyone! Just me and my trusty boomerang! But that’s not important! You can sit here if you want!”

 

She giggles again, sliding down to sit across him, placing her notebook on top. “So…” she trails as awkwardness fills in the gap. “I’ve seen you around before.”

 

“Yeah, this place, it’s been here since I was a kid and my mom would take my sister and I all the time, so I kinda got used to it, you know?” he replies, scratching the back of his neck. He gives her a small smile, knowing that he won’t be able to ever compare his to her smile. “How about you?”

 

She shrugs. “I was walking along one day, and it started raining and I found this place. I guess…” she says, her cheeks flushing. “I guess I just kept coming because someone kept looking at me.”

 

Sokka freezes, knowing he’s going to have to sputter out some explanation, but he’s cut short when the girl bursts out laughing, probably because of the expression on his face. He smiles anyway — and _wow_ , her laugh is too good for this world — and somewhere along the line, he finds himself laughing along as well.

 

“I’m Suki,” she tells him, once her laughter dies down. She’s still smiling — wow, she’s making him speechless with a laugh, how did he let this happen? — as she says it. She holds out her hand, and her hair is a little golden with the reflection of the sunset.

 

“Sokka,” he replies, taking her hand and shaking it. “I’m glad I met you today.” He stares into her eyes, watching them sparkle. They look an awful like the sky when the sun comes along, brightening it. It’s a moment later when he realizes he’s still holding her hand, even they’re not shaking them anymore. With another blush spreading across his cheeks, he lets go. His hand feels cold without hers, like there’s a Suki-shaped space missing. Huh.

 

Maybe that’s what love feels like.

* * *

They meet again along with the rain and the city traffic. He’s running towards the nearest shade (dammit, why didn’t he bring an umbrella today? Katara was right — he could swear that his sister had powers relating to water or something) when he accidentally bumps into someone who’s standing right where he was aiming for.

 

“Hey, excuse me, but I was here first! Find your own spot!” Sokka exclaims, trying to dry his shirt. He sighs irritably. 

 

“Well, maybe you should watch where you’re going!” the person retorts, facing him with crossed arms. Her wet brown hair’s plastered across her face, and her voice is slightly muffled by the loud roar of the rain. “It’s not your street, you know. Doesn’t say your name anywhere.”

 

Sokka huffs. “And how would you know? You don’t know my name.”

 

She smirks. “Sokka, was it? It’s a shame, really. You could’ve fooled me the other day, I actually thought you were a nice guy.”

 

The other day. Sokka squints, watching her remove the hair out of her face. There’s white make-up everywhere, all ruined from running in the rain, no doubt. Whoever she is, the big green dress she’s in must be uncomfortable right now. “Wait… _Suki_? I-I didn’t mean it! I was just angry that I didn’t have an umbrella—”

 

She’s laughing at him for the second time. “I was just kidding, Sokka! God, you’re so gullible! I come from tessenjutsu class and meet you! This is the funniest thing that’s happened to me all day.”

 

“I’m not gullible! I-I can be funny! Watch—” he tells her, blushing furiously. “You know why you always carry that fan around? ‘Cause it’s your only one! You get it? Not that I’m saying no one likes you because I’m sure a lot of people like you. I mean I do! W-wait! I didn’t mean it like _that_!” Sokka buries his head in his hands. “This is horrible.”

 

Suki laughs even harder, clutching her stomach. He stares at her, his cheeks pink, but with nothing left to say. “I don’t get a redo by any chance, huh?”

 

She looks up at him, smiling. In one swift motion, she plants a kiss on his cheek. His fingers instinctively go to touch it, the feeling of her lips lingering on his skin.

 

The rain’s slowed down to a drizzle now, and Suki picks up her bag from the ground. She smiles. “Hey, Sokka, it was nice seeing you again.”

 

He watches her leave, feeling his heart beat in his chest. “Wow.”

 

Yup, he’s definitely in love.

* * *

A week later, he’s waiting for her in the coffee shop, his heart thumping with a prepared question in his mind. His head shoots upward when he hears the bell chime. The door opens to reveal someone, but it’s not Suki. He sighs, lowering his head again. _She’s going to come. She has to._

Sokka takes another sip from his coffee, eyes closing just for a moment. In his mind, he can see her eyes and her smile. Then there’s her laugh. Okay, so maybe he’s a little desperate to hear it again, having come up with a list of jokes that are totally fool-proof; but what does that matter? She might not even come.

The bell rings again, and this time, he doesn’t bother looking up. It’s not her. He knows it. Why’d he bother coming in the first place?

“Hey,” a voice says, poking his slumped shoulders. “I’m sorry from bothering you from what looks like a snooze fest, but all the tables are full, and I was wondering if I could sit with you.”

 

He doesn’t really register whatever the person’s saying, so he just mumbles out his reply, “If you’re Suki, then go ahead.” He expects them to go away with that reply — why can’t the world let me mourn on my own? — but to his surprise, the chair across him moves and the person sits down. It causes him to sit up, ready to lash out.

 

“Hey! I never said you could—” he starts to say, but then he sees it’s _her_. “Suki? Aww, come on, why am I always so unprepared when we meet?” He hides under his arms. _Ugh._

 

Suki giggles. She lifts his chin up, staring right into his eyes. “Cheer up, you big baby. You’ll get me one of these days. Now, have you got anything else to say besides complain?”

 

Sokka rubs the back of his neck. “Y-yeah, actually.” His heart is hammering in his chest, _oh, please let her say yes._

 

“What is it?” she asks, leaning forward in anticipation. She places both hands on the table, her fingers fumbling with one another.

 

 _You can do it._ “I was wondering if maybe you’d wanna,” _— relax —_ “I dunno, it sounds dumb, but, um, would you like to maybe,” _— come on —_ “meet me by the fountain tomorrow night?”

 

_—and don’t forget to breathe._

 

He exhales, waiting for her answer. She looks surprised, her eyes widening. A blush brushes across her cheeks, even her ears. Out of the three time’s he’s spoken to her, he’s finally caught her off-guard. Instead of replying, Suki stands up and grabs his hand, making him stand as well. With a small tug, she pulls him closer. She opens her mouth for a reply, and Sokka holds his breath.

 

“Yes.”

 

Then she lands a quick kiss on his lips that will probably keep him dizzy for days and a smile that will never leave his face for a couple of months. With a small laugh that makes everything ten times better because he’s never heard a better sound (but he’s established that already), Sokka intertwines their fingers together. He grins.

 

Man, he really has been missing out on this whole love thing.

**Author's Note:**

> hmu at superishs.tumblr.com!!


End file.
